STOCKTON ALUM JAYSON RESCH NAMED XC/TRACK COACH

Richard Stockton College has named alumnus Jayson Resch to the position of Coordinator of Cross Country and Track & Field/Head Cross Country Coach/Head Men’s Track & Field Coach.

Resch will replace the man who was his coach at Stockton, Bill Preston, who is retiring in June. He will coach the men’s and women’s cross country teams and the men’s track team as well as overseeing all aspects of the cross country and track & field programs at Stockton.

“I want to thank the athletic administration for providing me with the opportunity to return to Stockton and lead the program,“ said Resch. “It is a great honor to take over for Coach Preston and I am very excited to work with the current coaching staff as we continue to build on the foundation of success that has been established at Stockton.”

Resch will leave his current position as assistant track & field coach at California University (PA), which he has held since 2009. The Tuckerton, New Jersey native also possesses college coaching experience from three years as the head cross country and track & field coach at Clarion University from 2006-09. Resch’s coaching career began with one season as an assistant at Barnegat High School in 2006.

Resch competed in cross country and track & field during an impressive career as a student-athlete at Stockton. He reached the pinnacle of his success by earning All-American status in the 400m with an eighth-place finish at the 1999 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

Resch was a three-time NCAA qualifier in the 400m as well as the 1998 NJAC champion in the 400m and 800m. His time of 1:54.43 in the 800m that year still stands as the Stockton record for the event.

While attending Stockton, Resch also participated in the Army ROTC program through Princeton University. After earning his criminal justice degree from Stockton, he performed a five-year stint as an officer in the United States Army. During that time, Resch served tours overseas in Qatar and South Korea before he was honorably discharged with the rank of Captain.

Resch has since obtained a second bachelor’s degree, in secondary education, plus a master’s degree in exercise science. He will take the reins from Bill Preston who will retire after a lengthy and distinguished career as a track & field and cross country coach that spanned over 40 years.

Preston came to Stockton in 1996 and helped his Osprey athletes win five individual national championships and earn 34 All-American honors in track & field. He also coached runners who qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships four times.

Prior to his arrival at Stockton, Preston coached at Council Rock High School (PA) for 28 years, winning 29 league titles, nine district crowns and eight state championships in track & field and cross country.